Master, May I?
by MissFire
Summary: UPDATED AFTER A LONG HIATUS! Luke Skywalker has his own adventures in babysitting when Han and Leia go out for an evening. Are three Force sensitive children too much for one Jedi master to handle?
1. They're Just Children

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars...because if I did Boba Fett wouldn't be a clone.

Author's Note: Just a cutesy story...I don't intend for it to go on for too long. It's funny b/c I never imagined myself writing a whole lot of Luke, but oh! there he is! Enjoy...read'n'review, if you please...

**Chapter I: They're Just Children**

Luke Skywalker sighed, remembering the old aphorism: _Patience is a virtue_.

It wasn't solely a Jedi aphorism, by any means. But it certainly did remind him that, above all, a Jedi had to be virtuous.

And that, of course, meant that he had to be patient.

"It's my turn, Jacen! You know it is!" Jaina, his young niece, thrust her chin out stubbornly, posting her small fists on her hips. Indignation painted her face a slightly flushed hue, and she stomped a foot inconsolably. Her six-year-old eyes burned with an intensity that echoed of her mother's own strident stare. Her temper seemed to match that of her mother, as well.

Luke could not entirely hide a smile, though, thinking, _It would be unfair of me not to acknowledge _Han's_ contribution to the matter, however_.

"I had it first, Jaina. It's _my_ turn." Jacen, her brother, crossed his arms imperiously, hiding the handheld-gaming system in his hand. He stiffened his neck and peered down his nose to glare at her through half-lidded eyes. The effect was not ruined by the fact that they were practically the same height. But the look _did_ lose some of its mature character when he stuck his tongue out.

Jaina gasped sharply at the gesture, before her eyes narrowed into a tight glare. "You take that _back_, Jacen Solo!" she said in a tone that was all reprimand.

Anakin, watching the exchange with his bright blue eyes, laughed and clapped happily. He promptly stuck his own tongue out, mimicking his older brother. "Take that, Jaya!" he cried, using the nickname he had given her since toddler-hood.

"I'll get Mom if you don't stop!"

"No, you won't!" Jacen looked around, scanning the immediate vicinity for their mother. "You will not. Uncle Luke's right there!" he said, gesturing toward their uncle. He looked up uncertainly, his brown eyes meeting Luke's blue eyes worriedly, "You saw that it's my turn, didn't you, Uncle Luke?"

"It's not! It's mine!" Jaina exclaimed loudly. A little _too_ loudly, Luke realized, because the argument was no longer under the radar, as far as their parents were concerned. The Jedi Master felt the spike of frustration in Leia's consciousness and the almost imperceptible waver of exasperation in Han's. _Maybe now would be a good time to step in_, Luke thought.

He had just opened his mouth, readying to settle the dispute when a voice, which stopped the children and demanded answer all in one breath, inquired: "What are we arguing about?"

The children turned slowly, hesitantly, to face their mother. Leia stood in the doorway to the living room, not yet descending the two steps into the room. Wearing a white shift that came to her knees under a tailored floor-length coat of a crimson hue with flowing sleeves, she also had her hair up. Her trademark braids wound around her head, but not so trademark were the red and white ribbons that interlaced the plaits. Flat white shoes with ribbons that ran up her calves finished the ensemble. She remained standing in the doorway, waiting for an answer. Fidgeting with an earring, her demeanor was no less intense for lack of strict stature.

"Well?" She looked to the trio, clearly expecting an answer.

"It was," Jacen finally answered, "Uhm, nothing, just Jaina's turn to play." He handed the hand-held system to her. She took it slowly, her wide eyes watching her mother's every move.

Tension dissipated when, with a nod, Leia smiled, "Good." Smoothing her skirts, she turned to Luke. "Will you be all right?" she asked, worry furrowing her brow. "You know that the kids are a handful. I could always have Winter --"

"Nothing I can't handle," Luke smiled reassuringly, touching Leia's shoulder.

"Those are common last words, kid," Han said as he stepped into the room. As he adjusted the military-styled coat for what Luke could guess was the tenth time, Han grinned and turned to address the children. "Now, remember, kids, Uncle Luke is not Winter. He'll be easy to scare away. So if you do, do it only _right before_ we get home. Understood?"

The children laughed before swarming around their father excitedly.

Leia looked to Han. "I suppose we should get going."

"Yeah," he agreed. Tugging at his dark blue coat again – Han hated to dress up – he turned to Luke, a skeptical expression tightening his eyes while saying, "You're sure you're fine with this?"

Luke laughed. What was wrong with these two? Watching _children_, his nephews and niece,would be a welcome distraction to the ever-increasing – and overwhelming – pressures of his life. Managing a host of Jedi trainees was tiring work. He did not for one minute regret his life's work, but it was nice to have a little vacation. And he had no qualms leaving the Academy, with Kam Solusar in charge.

Besides, he did not get to see the children nearly enough. As it was, rare was the chance that he got to see even Han and Leia these days.

And he knew that it was even rarer that Han and Leia had a chance to go out as Han and Leia, the married couple, as opposed to Han and Leia, hero and political figure of the New Republic. That had been why he had volunteered to watch the children. He knew that Han and Leia both felt guilty, because they too felt that they did not see the children nearly often enough. But Luke had insisted that they go out, and they had grudgingly accepted the idea.

"Of course I'm fine," he insisted. "Say good-bye to your children, or you'll be standing here all night asking me the same question."

Good-byes were short and sweet, the children offering their upturned faces for kisses before racing back into the depths of the living room.

Luke walked Han and Leia to the door and bid them a good time.

As the couple was walking out, Leia turned around. "If there's any trouble, Luke..."

He laughed again. "You worry too much. They're only children." He chose to ignore the knowing look that Han and Leia exchanged before they continued down the hall.

"Don't forget whose children they are, though!" Han called back over his shoulder. A cocky grin spread across his face as he added, "That's part of the problem, you know."

Luke stepped back inside, shaking his head with a smile. He wasn't a complete idiot. Children, even if they were Han and Leia's, would not be that bad.

He enjoyed the quiet serenity of the Solos' apartment for only a brief moment, before Anakin's wail pierced the silence:

"Now it's _my_ turn!"


	2. Lessons in Cooking

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars...because if I did, I'd have a cool, incredibly well-animated series that followed the original trilogy characters...and none of that Ewok and Droid stuff...

Author's Note: Thank you for all of the kind reviews. It's very much appreciated.

**Chapter II: Lessons in Cooking**

Luke came into the living room to find that the children weren't there.

"My turn!" Anakin's cry came from the kitchen.

He shook his head. Weren't they just playing with a game of some sort? What could they be doing in the kitchen?

The scene that met his eyes filled him with horror, and the worst kind of horror too, because children are capable of doing scary things.

Two burners on the stove-top were spouting blue flame, though no pots or pans were covering the fire. Nothing to be cooked was found anywhere near the stove-top, despite the fact that Jaina had pulled two pieces of bread from the bread drawer. After coating them with butter, she had set them on the counter top. She then pulled open some cabinet drawers, pushing aside various pots and pans, looking for exactly the right one.

Jacen was swinging from the cooler's door, hanging onto the handle and pumping his legs to propel the door on its hinge. Anakin, who was sitting on the floor and surrounded by bits of cereal-like food, was watching enviously. The boy noticed his uncle staring – gaping – at the disastrous atmosphere of the kitchen, and Anakin dropped the box that he was eating from and pointed a sticky hand at Jacen. "Tell him it's my turn!" he shouted. "He's swung _twice_ now!"

"Well, it's my game anyway!" Jacen explained, pumping his legs furiously. The cooler teetered, and the door swung back and forth with a speed that was actually quite fast.

Jaina looked up, having found the perfect pan. "Jacen, stop! I need to get the cheese!"

"Try and get it!" He was still pumping. The door was still swinging back and forth rather dangerously, until it slammed shut with a fatal sense of finality.

Anakin jumped up. "There, Jacen! It's my turn!"

Jacen loosened his grip on the door's handle, jumping down. "Aw, have your turn, then," he said indifferently, as though the idea of swinging on the cooler's handle was not one that would have ever appealed to him anyway. Anakin made to grab the door handle. Jaina pushed him aside so that she could get the groat cheese and finish preparing her dinner.

It was then that Luke realized that the stove was still going.

He finally pulled himself from his shocked stupor and commanded, "This has to stop."

The children looked up to him in hurt astonishment, perhaps more injured by his tone than by his actual message.

"We weren't were doing anything bad, Uncle Luke," Luke heard Jaina say in a small and subdued voice as he reached over her and turned off the stove-top.

Anakin's eyes were shimmering with unshed tears when he looked up to his uncle. "We're not bad, are we, Uncle Luke?"

Luke held his gaze for only a moment before looking up to the ceiling with a sigh. _How can I stay mad?_ He had no idea how very concerned they were to remain in his thoughts as "good" children. It even made him feel a little guilty, as silly as that sounded. Kneeling down beside Anakin, he put an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Of course not," he said in a tone that he hoped sounded more convincing than what he thought it did. "If you kids were hungry, you should have told me, though," Luke added, standing up.

"You can cook?" Jacen sounded dubious.

"Sure, I can cook," Luke looked down at his nephew, almost offended.

"Okay, so what can you make?" Jaina said innocently.

"Lots of things." Luke glanced around the kitchen hesitantly. Cooking? That wasn't hard, right? Noticing the buttered bread sitting on the counter, he said to Jaina, "You were going to make grilled-cheese sandwiches, right?"

She nodded vigorously.

"So, do you all like that?"

Luke didn't receive an answer other than, "Uncle Luke, look what I can do!"

The Jedi Master snapped his attention to Jacen, who was holding his hands in the air, a look of concentration tightening his young features. Luke followed Jacen's gaze up, up to where a slice of bread hung in the air.

Levitating above Anakin's head. Anakin had his neck craned upward, eyes closed and mouth wide open, waiting for the slice to fall into his waiting mouth.

Shaking his head, Luke reached up and snatched the bread from Jacen's weak Force-grasp. "Jacen," he began sternly, "the Force is not a play-thing." He set the bread in the pan that Jaina held out to him, her eyes wide with surprise. "And you shouldn't treat it as such."

Jacen sullenly looked away. Anakin wondered why the bread had not yet fallen.

Luke set about making three sandwiches, Jaina acting as his helpful assistant. She would get the bread out and butter it, while Luke would place it and the groat cheese in the pan. He flipped the sandwiches now and then, hoping that they wouldn't burn.

Anakin opened his eyes and found that the bread was no longer floating above his mouth. "Where'd it go?" he asked no one in particular.

Jacen pointed to Luke as he pulled himself onto a bar-stool, which sat on one side of the expansive, kitchen counter. Anakin immediately followed suit, jumping onto the bar-stool next to his brother. After Jaina's kitchen duties were done, she moved to sit with her brothers.

Then they all proceeded to watch Luke. Besides being almost uncomfortable, it was kind of flattering. Luke knew that the children considered him a role model, and he realized how daunting of a role that was to play. And it was a role that he played often; being the first of the new generation of Jedi, his every move was watched and mimicked, studied and practiced, by those at his Academy. One day, those Jedi trainees would include his nephews and niece. By setting what he hoped was a good example for the children now, he knew that they would take to heart his understanding of the Force and its capabilities, and thus, they would be better able to learn its mastery.

Of course, that was a long way into the future.

"Uncle Luke, when are you going to teach us more about the Force?" Jacen asked.

Luke smiled. Jacen must have somehow tuned into his thoughts. "When you're ready," he answered.

"When is that?" Jaina added.

"When you're older."

"How much older?" Anakin chimed in.

"Not too much."

"So, tomorrow?" Jaina asked hopefully.

"Not that soon." Luke faced his niece and nephews patiently. "To understand the Force, you must first understand how to control yourselves."

"Jaina and I control Anakin just fine," Jacen announced proudly.

"That's not how I mean."

"I got control!" Anakin shouted with a smile.

Luke shook his head. "You're all just too young yet," he said with a smile. "Don't worry, you'll soon be old enough." And although he had not said anything untoward, another trickle of what seemed to be guilt washed over Luke as he watched the children hang their heads. "Besides," he began in an effort to cheer them up, "you already know more about the Force than I did at your age. I didn't even know what the Force was."

Jacen and Jaina shared a secretive smile. "So, when did you learn about the Force, Uncle Luke?" Jaina asked, innocence once again infusing her tone.

"I was a teenager then."

"Long time ago, huh?" Jacen asked.

Against his will, Luke could feel his lip curl. Being reminded of one's age was never a pleasant experience. "I guess so."

"We weren't even born then!" Anakin proclaimed in childlike earnest.

The Jedi Master smiled. "No, you weren't."

"If we know about the Force _now_, shouldn't we be able to learn about it now?" Jaina reasoned.

"I have taught you little things, haven't I?" Luke countered, remembering to be patient. "You have learned to channel your talent into communicating between one another. You have some experience with levitating, and you are each discovering your own strengths. Things as they are, you are all learning more and more about the Force with each passing day."

Jacen shrugged. "I guess so," he conceded. "But we want to know more."

"And you will." The children were silent for a moment. Then, Luke noticed that Jaina had pulled out her multi-tool – a gift from her father and by no means, a completely equipped multi-tool – and was fidgeting with it.

"What are you doing?" Luke asked, genuinely curious.

"I was going to turn off the stove," she answered.

His brow furrowed as he contemplated that response. "You don't need the tool to do that," he said in warning.

She merely pointed behind him. Jacen and Anakin followed suit.

Luke turned to find the sandwiches on fire.

He hurriedly squelched the fire, using the Force to freeze the sandwiches as he simultaneously switched off the gas on the stove-top.

The children ran around the kitchen in a panic, yelling that the apartment was going to burn down.

& & & &

Later, when the children were calmed down and with a new set of sandwiches in tow, Luke came to where the children were sitting. Setting the plates in front of them with all of the skill of a seasoned waitress, he then went about preparing their drinks: glasses of cold, blue milk.

Luke turned around when he noticed that the children were abnormally quiet. He saw that they all were looking hesitantly at their plates.

"Are these the burned ones?" Anakin finally asked.

Jaina slapped a hand over her younger brother's mouth. Jacen promptly moved to cover for her. "Oh, silly Anakin," he said in a dramatically pleasant voice, "these look much better than the burned ones!"

"Besides, Annie," Jaina added, "they aren't frozen. Are you blind?"

Luke sighed. The fact was that Anakin was far from blind. "They might be a little over-done," he admitted, gazing at the blackened bread that must have had all of the taste of charred wood. "But they should be alright."

Cooking something as simple as a grilled cheese was harder than it seemed, the Jedi Master shook his head. He fleetingly wondered how he had survived on his own cooking for so long. Of course, Luke didn't really cook all that much for himself. Rations – and whatever the galley of the Jedi Academy served – were usual his order of the day. The realization was practically shameful. Even _Han_ was a better hand in the kitchen than he was.

The children nibbled at the bread, occasionally taking larger bites in the less-burned areas. He noticed their shared looks with one another and saw how they were taking even larger gulps of milk with each forced bite. _They aren't so much _eating_ as they are _enduring, Luke noted with some chagrin.

Just as he was getting ready to tell them that they could always order delivery of something – _anything_ – Jaina spoke up, her voice uncertain, "Uncle Luke?"

"Yes?"

"How is it possible that the outside is all burned while the cheese isn't even melted?"

Luke burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. How in the Force had he managed that? No wonder the kids weren't eating! His laughter was contagious, and the kids were soon giggling with him.

"That's okay, Uncle Luke!"

"And how's that, Anakin?"

"Mom can't cook either!"

That particular comment sent the children rolling with laughter.

And Luke decided to look for a directory of available delivery restaurants.


	3. Choosing a Vid Shouldn’t Be So Hard

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars...But I wouldn't mind receiving it as a gift someday...

A/N: I am just constantly surprised by the volume of hits this story has received! It's flattering, really...thank you so much to those who have read and continue to read "Master, May I?"! And to think I had started this story with no real rhyme or reason in mind...

**Chapter III: Choosing a Vid Shouldn't Be So Hard**

After the delivery of _pizza'recate_ – a decidedly Corellian dish if Luke had ever seen one – the children were settled happily in front of the holovid projector.

Maybe "happily" was the wrong word, though. They certainly weren't settled peaceably, heavens no. The kids were, of course, fighting over what station to watch.

While grabbing his own slice of the _pizza_, he allowed himself an inward shrug. _Let them squabble_, he determined, resigned to their almost incessant arguing. _Eventually, they'll _have _to reach their own resolution._

"Jacen, give that to me!"

"No way! I was out here first!"

Eventually.

The Jedi Master entered the sitting area, which Han and Leia – mostly Leia – had decorated in a tasteful and elegant sort of manner. Thick, plush carpeting, coupled with the comfortable furniture pieces, upholstered in the finest Vardaskajian wool, created a homey atmosphere, while the high ceilings of the apartment added a bit of elegance as well.

Luke balanced his plate on his lap as he sat down, putting his glass of milk to the side. He grimaced, wondering if maybe he should have the children eat in the kitchen. He watched them, still arguing, but they were being clean about how they were eating. Justifying himself by thinking, _What's done is done_, he sat back in his armchair and settled in to eat. After all, they hadn't made a mess yet.

"All right!" Jacen exclaimed after flipping through the channels. He set the remote control down, careful to place it where neither Jaina nor Anakin could reach it.

Jaina's face twisted into a scowl. "_Wild Animal Safari_?" she said the name of the station with obvious disgust. "Jacen, no one wants to watch silly animals beat up other ones."

"I do!" he protested around a mouthful of _pizza_. "Besides, they don't just beat each other up! We can watch how they live, and learn who their natural enemies are, and –" he interrupted himself when he saw the title graphic visualize. "'The Bold Bantha'?" Jacen read the title of the program aloud, disappointed. "I've seen this one a thousand times!"

"Good," Jaina sighed with relief. "That means we don't have to watch this then."

"Fine!" her twin retorted, picking up the remote control and thrusting it in her direction. "You pick something!"

"I want to pick!" Anakin said, making a grab for the remote with a greasy hand.

"No, Annie!" Jaina said while clutching the device tightly. Bringing it to shelter by nestling the remote near her chest, she said importantly, "I'm older and it's my turn."

The youngest pouted, but only for a moment. He picked up his plate and headed back into the kitchen. While passing Luke, he announced, "I'm going to get another piece."

Luke smiled, "That's fine." Anakin did love to eat.

Jaina set about finding a new station with dedicated earnest. She channel-surfed quickly, barely allowing the programs to be registered and recognized in Luke's mind. But she seemed to be handling the assault of information with ease.

So did Jacen. "Don't stop here!" he said almost a second after a station shivered to life above the projector.

"I'm not!"

Jaina's hand hovered over the channel button, until finally she stopped. "There!" she cried happily just as Anakin walked back into the room.

"_The Military Network_? No!" Anakin shook his head. "It's boring!"

"They might have some cool ships!" she glared at her brother. "Don't you want to see cool spaceships?"

"No." Anakin sat down beside her, setting his plate on the side table. He held out his hand expectantly. "Let me pick."

"Yeah," Jacen reluctantly agreed. "Let Annie pick. I don't want to watch this either."

With more than a touch of unwillingness, she handed her younger brother the remote. "Nothing stupid, Annie," she warned.

He found the channel he wanted almost immediately. His older siblings immediately rose their voices in objection. "'Zany Zoot's Fun Hour'?" they shouted in dismay. "NO!"

Luke watched the vid while the children argued some more. It seemed mostly juvenile, with bright colors flashing and numbers and words appearing in the image at almost random intervals, but it looked to be harmless."Now what's the matter with this?" he asked the twins.

"Zany fun for everyone! Hyuk!" a particularly silly voice called from the projector.

"Are you serious?" Jacen asked in a tone that was eerily similar to his father's.

"What's today's secret word?" the same voice crowed obnoxiously.

"Happy?" some unsuspecting child answered.

Bells and whistles and horns and who knows what else hollered like crazy from the speakers of the projector. The host's unsettling laugh sounded above it though, still patently audible over the commotion.

Looking at the image again, Luke finally had to concede the point with a shudder. It did seem much more irritating upon a second glance.

"Hand me the remote," he said, holding out his hand. Anakin gave it to him easily enough, but not without first pleading with big, watery brown eyes and a lower-lip pout. It was almost enough for Luke to cave in.

The bells and whistles started once more.

On second thought, Anakin's expression was far from enough to keep the channel there. "Now we'll _all_ pick something together," he resolved, lifting the remote. Luke slowly scrolled through the channels. Stopping momentarily and allowing a brief sample of each program, he worked his way through the channels, until finally all of the children cried for him to stop.

"What's this?" he asked. There was a man and a woman in the image, racing down the streets of some city or another in their landspeeder. It seemed to be some kind of action-adventure vid.

"_Blood Rains Softly_," Jaina answered, her eyes glued to the image.

"That doesn't sound very nice."

"It's okay," Jacen chimed in. "Dad would _totally_ let us watch it."

"This is the scary part," Anakin whimpered and hid his face in the couch pillow.

The landspeeder had reached a dark alley that ended abruptly. The man and woman both got out of the speeder, now clutching large guns that Luke had not noticed in the previous shot. Something was crawling in the darkness, the man said stiffly. A monster, the woman added without much enthusiasm.

Then they both started shooting.

And blood did, in fact, rain, though Luke wouldn't say it was all _that _softly.

"I don't think so," he said, tapping the channel button once more. He would have to ask Han about _that_ particular vid. Without Leia overhearing, of course.

Once more, Luke channel-surfed until the children cried for him to stop. "This had better not be like the last program," he cautioned, his hand already hovering over the remote.

"No, this is better," Jacen replied.

"What is it?"

"_Star Wars_!"

"_Star Wars_?" Luke repeated, thinking that it sounded kind of generic.

"Yeah!" Jaina exclaimed. "It's, like, a documentary about the fight with the Empire! Isn't that cool?"

"Look, Uncle Luke," Anakin said, pointing, "there's you!"

Luke gasped. There he was.

Actually, it was just an actor that _looked _like him, but the resemblance was nothing less than incredible. He found that it was a bit disconcerting that there was someone out there that looked so much like him.

"Aw, it's almost over!" Luke heard Jacen say. Then the children overwhelmed him with their questions and comments:

"See, Uncle Luke, you're going to go down the trench alone!"

"Did that really happen?"

"Did the Death Star really look like that?"

"Did Darth Vader really look like that?"

"He's scary!"

"Look, look! Dad's going to come save you now!"

"Then you fire without the targeting computer! That's so cool!"

"Wow! Look at that explosion!"

Before he knew it the vid was over, ending with a rendition of the ceremony that had happened on Yavin IV over a decade ago. It was spooky how close the vid was to the actual events that had transpired. And Luke hadn't even had the chance to see the whole vid!

"Those vids are so cool!" Jacen exclaimed.

"I know!" Jaina added her agreement. All three children were bouncing up and down in the excitement that only seeing a good vid could cause.

Luke pushed past the befuddled thoughts in his mind – Who _made that vid?_, he wondered – and announced, "I think it's time for you take your baths."

Upon hearing the hated word "bath", the children scattered in all different directions, leaving their plates and glasses on the side table.

The Jedi Master sighed, remembering that old aphorism once more.


	4. As Easy as Bathing a Wild Gundark

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars...but that doesn't stop me from trying!

A/N: So I haven't updated in awhile...I just started classes at a college four hours away from my home and it's taking a bit to get used to it all. Actually, I'm a bit homesick... And it's impeding my writing...But alas, here it is. Again, thank you for the nice reviews! I'm _incredibly_ appreciative and grateful!

**Chapter IV: As Easy as Bathing a Wild Gundark**

Luke didn't know which way to look first. He shook his head, for the children really _had_ disappeared. Their scramble was as effective as some of the evasive patterns that Rogue Squadron's most seasoned pilots flew.

And the children didn't even _know_ flight maneuvers!

He was not worried, however. Stretching out with the Force, Luke felt for the children's energy. And sure enough, once he utilized the Force as his ally, his nephews and niece were easily found.

"That's almost like cheating, Uncle Luke," Jaina pouted as he pulled her from the utility closet.

"It _is_ cheating," Jacen added when Luke gently extracted him from the upper kitchen cabinet.

"That's no fair, Uncle Luke!" Anakin wailed in dismay after Luke had revealed his hiding place, which happened to be under a blanket in his parents' room.

"It's very fair," Luke returned patiently, prodding Jacen and Jaina along the hallway. Anakin was attached to his right leg, seemingly a growth that wouldn't sacrifice its hold on him.

"But we don't want a bath now!" Jaina protested.

"It's too early!" Jacen finished for her.

They reached the bathroom, all parties very unwillingly. Luke reached down and began to run the water at a temperature he deemed "Uncle Luke-warm".

He told the children so, and they scowled at his lame humor. Well, Anakin laughed uproariously, but when he saw that Jacen and Jaina were not doing the same, he immediately swallowed his laughter.

"So how are we going to do this?" Luke asked, eyeing the children. None of them were getting undressed. None of them were even moving toward the tub, but instead were huddled near the doorway.

The children turned to him, confusion in their expressions. Luke didn't miss the trace of a sly undercurrent in their Force sense, though. They were thinking, of course, that they might be able to trick him in some way. He didn't know whether to laugh or to scold them.

He chose neither, though, opting for caution. "So?" he asked again, suspicion coloring his tone.

They then turned to each other, thoughts, impressions and feelings all hastily being traded in a matter of seconds. Their ability in the Force was amazing. They had such great potential and they committed such acts without thinking. Utilizing the Force was of second nature; he briefly wondered if they realized that they were even using it. But Luke was constantly impressed with the children, and even small examples of their abilities, such as this exchange, caused Luke to wonder how they would grow and develop in the Force as they got older.

"Jacen and I will take a bath together," Anakin announced finally.

"But I get to go first," Jaina said importantly.

Before Luke could say a word, the boys raced out of the bathroom. He shook his head, bringing his attention back to Jaina. "Do you need help, Jaina?" he asked.

Her lip twisted indignantly. "Uncle Luke," she chided. "I'm six years old! I don't need _help!_"

He brought up his hands in mock defense, chuckling in spite of himself. "Okay, okay." Luke moved toward the door, instructing, "Call when you're ready to get out."

Jaina was standing in the center of the room, tapping one foot impatiently as she watched him leave. "All right!" she called as he shut the door.

He permitted himself a small smile. She was quite stubborn, an image of her father. She always wanted the last word – and that too was also quite in the image of her father.

Noticing the quiet of the apartment, he wondered what became of the boys and began an earnest search.

& & & &

It was an hour later. The boys were playing with a game system in the living room, and Jaina still hadn't gotten out of the bath.

Luke went to the refresher door and knocked softly. "Jaina?" he called.

"Yes?"

"Are you almost done?"

"Yes."

"So are you coming out?"

"No."

Puzzlement flooded Luke's voice. "Why not?"

"My hair hasn't been washed."

He opened the door to the fresher to find Jaina sitting in a sea of bubbles, bubbles that Luke didn't put in the bath when he was running it. "Have you been playing this whole time?" he asked in dismay.

"Yes." Her voice was sweetly innocent.

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I didn't know _you_ didn't know that I needed someone to wash my hair."

"But you said you didn't need help," Luke reasoned as he rolled up his sleeves. When he reached into the tub and pulled the plug, he pulled his hand back quickly. "This water's freezing!"

"I thought it was 'Uncle Luke-warm'," she countered, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, an hour ago."

He turned the faucet on, setting warm bath water. Once the tub was rinsed of the bubbles, he filled it once more. That was the easiest part of the ordeal.

Washing Jaina's hair was another matter entirely.

"Ow ow ow!" she yelped repeatedly, as Luke tried – very _gently_ – to scrub her head. She squirmed, rolling her head around and proving incredibly difficult, and she desperately moved to get away from him.

"Don't do that," Luke started.

"You're hurting me!"

"I'm not meaning to!"

"But you are!" Jaina slipped from under his hands and scrambled toward the edge of the tub. "You're pulling my hair!"

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, moving to stop her.

She jumped out of the tub, a puddle of soapy water gathering around her feet.

"You're going to slip and fall," Luke cautioned.

Her hair still dripping, she slid haphazardly along the floor. Luke moved swiftly, wrapping a towel around her and picking her up before she could reach the door. At first, she kicked and squirmed, but she soon settled down when she realized that he wasn't going to release her so easily.

He placed her back in the tub and rinsed her hair hurriedly to her cries of "Ouch!" and "Soap in my eyes!" and "Winter doesn't pull my hair!" As soon as he was finished, she sped out of the refresher and into her bedroom, armed with nothing but her towel. She slammed the door shut.

The boys rushed out of the living room, looking down the hall in confusion.

Luke sighed. "Okay, boys, you're next."

& & & &

Hassling with the boys was another experience entirely. They wanted to play with their "water toys", which were just cheap little things that they kept in a basket under the sink. Gunships and aquatic ships were the toys of the hour, and the boys splashed raucously, until the entire refresher looked like the inside of a battleship with its last engine ready to give out and ready to sink.

Luke made sure that he stayed in the refresher with them. He wasn't about to leave _them_ alone for an hour as he did Jaina. However, this left him mopping up the floor every time that water splashed overboard. But it seemed that once he had _one_ puddle wiped away, there was another five times bigger to replace it.

The boys were shouting too loudly to hear his reprimands.

After he had washed their hair, the boys also ran out of the refresher – as much in a hurry as Jaina was – leaving wet footprints in their wake.

And leaving Luke to clean a giant, water-soaked mess.


	5. All Kinds of Storytelling

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Surprise, surprise.

A/N: So I disappeared for a good long time, but I've always had the intention of finishing this story. Anyway, geez, it's been a long time, huh? If you're new to the story, you want to start at Chapter One, right? Hahahaha… LOLOLOL. Er… yeah. Anyway, life has been super busy, but I haven't forgotten about this, so here we are, and enjoy this chapter! 'Cuz there won't be too much more to this story… Reviews/general comments are always appreciated. Thanks!

**Chapter V: All Kinds of Storytelling**

Cleaning the 'fresher's floor took less time than Luke had thought it would. For that, the Jedi Master was glad.

Carrying a bundle of sopping towels, he moved to the laundry facilities closet and shoved the load into the chute for the housekeeping droid to manage later. The front of his tunic was now damp, but he tried not to let that bother him.

When he entered the living room, Luke was surprised – though "shocked" may have been the better word – to find that the children were watching the holovid projector quietly.

But it was bedtime. Bracing himself for a fight, he told the children so. To his increasing shock, they didn't utter a word in argument. They removed themselves from the couches, turned off the vid projector and trooped to their room.

Of course, Han and Leia had a large enough apartment that the children could each have their own rooms, but the kids had their own thoughts about that. They liked sharing a room; any attempt to give at least Jaina her own room was firmly declined. So the kids shared the largest of the spare rooms with three beds aligned on separate walls and toys scattered liberally on the floor.

"You'll read us a story, won't you, Uncle Luke?" Anakin asked, throwing himself on his bed.

"Of course," he said as followed them into their bedroom.

Luke didn't even have a chance to ask which storybook the children wanted. _The Little Lost Bantha Cub_ was thrust into his hands, their unequivocal choice of entertainment for the evening.

"You guys really like this one, huh?" Luke said. He had even found a copy of it on the _Falcon_ once. Han had joked that it was Chewie's, a truly worthy addition for the Wookiee's personal library and irrefutable proof that he was trying to improve his reading comprehension. Chewie had taken the ribbing with a good-natured laugh – and a firm punch to Han's arm.

Luke settled on Anakin's bed, the children clustered tightly around him. "We _love_ this story, Uncle Luke," Jaina said.

"It is one of the best," Jacen admitted.

"What do you like best about it?" Luke asked, curious. It was a simple story, told in verse, about a bantha cub that had been separated from his herd, encountered Jawas, droids, a moisture farmer, and a Krayt dragon before finding a tribe of Sand people that led him home to his herd. It almost made him feel homesick for Tatooine. Almost.

"When Dad does the voices," Anakin answered.

"He does them really, really good," Jaina added.

"The droid always sounds like Threepio," Jacen said. "That's the best."

Luke smiled. The entire family had experienced enough of Threepio's mannerisms to last at least ten lifetimes, so that even the kids couldn't resist a little fun at the droid's expense. Han's penchant for mockery must have rubbed off on them. Flipping through the book, Luke shook his head. "I don't know if I'll be as good as your dad," he confessed, "but I'll give it my best shot, okay?"

"Oh, you don't have to read like Dad," Jaina said. "You make your own voices. It'll be so much fun that way."

"Yes, please, Uncle Luke," Anakin added. All three nodded, smiling in a coaxing manner.

So Luke did, reading in silly voices that made the young Solos giggle. They were delighted when he read the droid with a strange, mechanical voice; the moisture farmer with a strong, southern Tatooinian accent; and the Krayt dragon with a high, not-at-all-scary falsetto.

The children laughed uncontrollably at that last part with the dragon, and he laughed with them. He noticed that they were stealing looks to the doorway, which caused them to giggle even more.

That's when he noticed a shadow in the doorway. A shadow with red hair, a wide smirk, and mischievous eyes. Accompanied by a golden protocol droid.

Great.

Luke felt his face grow warm, a sheepish grin spreading unbidden across his face. "Hello, Threepio. Mara. Where have you been all evening?"

Mara Jade's eyebrow arched with what he hoped was amusement. "…Er, Threepio?" he added quickly.

"I was running a program for Princess Leia in her office when Master Jacen and Master Anakin notified me that you had an important message for me to send for you." Threepio's chest seemed to swell with pride, and Luke could almost hear the same satisfaction from his vocabulator. "Naturally, I knew you had trusted me with a task of great importance, and of course, I dispatched your message right away."

"Of course," Luke agreed, glancing at the boys who avoided his gaze – Jacen, by design, and Anakin, because he wasn't paying attention. He met Mara's gaze, her eyes now dancing as the situation became clearer to her.

"And since the message was about something as vague as 'Jedi business,' I thought I'd check it out," Mara said.

"And I let her in!" Threepio said, not allowing anyone to forget his role in the story.

"How lucky you were here on Coruscant," Luke murmured.

Mara's smirk seemed to grow wider by the second. "You think so, farmboy?"

He nodded, watching the children all the while. Their reactions to the proceedings were quite humorous, actually. The twins were smiling, but their eyes masked some small bit of worry – they weren't sure if they should be laughing or offering apologies. Anakin was pleased to have someone else visiting the family's home and was cheerfully oblivious, watching Mara with great interest. All three were fidgeting with nervous energy.

"Threepio," Luke said, "Maybe you should tell the children a story while I conduct my business with Miss Jade."

The children groaned.

"And make sure that they stay in bed."

They groaned louder.

"Tell them an Ewok story."

The children gave up on groaning their displeasure and began making faces instead. "Those are the only stories he ever tells," Jacen said under his breath. Jaina nodded, her expression relaying her opinion of that observation.

"Into bed," Luke said. The children obeyed without too much protest. After tucking them in and kissing them good-night, he left them to suffer Threepio's innocuous brand of torture. With any luck, the droid's unending string of exposition would put them to sleep.

As Luke exited the room, he said quietly to the protocol droid, "And take it easy on the sound effects, Threepio. We want them to fall asleep."

Threepio was almost offended. "Of course, Master Luke. I am programmed with many dialogue directories that are appropriate for maintaining sound levels contained within a certain decibel range. I will assist the children in their sleeping processes with a story, and if that fails, I have many songs in my repertoire that a young human may find relaxing."

Shutting the door, Luke couldn't hide a smile as the children started to groan once more.

* * *

"So there was no 'Jedi business,' was there?"

"No," Luke admitted, handing Mara a cup of caf. They sat in the kitchen on the bar-stools beside a length of countertop. The room seemed too peaceful in comparison to the chaos that it housed only a couple short hours before. The many dishes in the sink were only a small testament to the children's antics. "You're an unfortunate party to the children's idea of a joke."

"I think you're the party, and I'm merely an accessory," Mara said. She took a sip of caf before continuing, "Clearly they wanted me to enjoy your stylings as a dramatic reader."

"Yeah, kids," he offered as an explanation with a half-shrug. At least she seemed to be in a good mood. Even if the children's deception was made in innocent fun, he was glad that she wasn't angry about the disruption of her schedule. He shook his head with an awkward smile. "They're a handful."

"You have met their parents, haven't you? Besides you seemed like you were doing all right," she said. "Nothing a Jedi Master can't handle."

She had a pretty smile, Luke thought, even when it was tinged with sarcasm. "So how is your training?" he asked. "I haven't seen you at the Jedi Praxeum lately."

"I've been busy," she said, tucking a lock of red-gold hair behind her ear. He had heard that, of course. When she wasn't training at the academy on Yavin IV, she was immersed in the trappings of her hectic life. She had returned to her business with Talon Kardde, acting as one of his agents. She also had some arrangement with Lando Calrissian, though Luke wasn't sure where that relationship fell on the scale between "personal" and "business."

His feelings concerning _that_ were a bit cloudy, but that was best left to tackle in meditation. Luke couldn't resist asking, though, "How are you and Lando?"

"Things are interesting," she answered with a look that said, _Let's leave it at that._ Luke willingly obliged and did not pursue that avenue of questioning.

Mara looked at him over her mug of caf. "I may be starting my own shipping business," she said. "I think Lando would like to lend his business expertise, but this is firmly my venture."

"What about Kardde?"

"He thinks it will be a good exercise for me," she said. "I'm sure he's trying to groom me as his second-in-command, but we'll see if I have time for it. I may turn out to be quite the success on my own."

Luke smiled. Mara was quite independent, one of her more likeable – and yet thoroughly frustrating – qualities. It was hard to ever peg down her schedule for the Praxeum. "Is that why you're on Coruscant then?"

She nodded. "Feeling out different vendors, different contacts – that sort of thing."

The couple sat quietly for a moment, but the silence was not uncomfortable. This was nice, Luke reflected, talking to Mara this way. It had taken so long for her to approach even a _civil_ conversation with him, that this conversation – like one between friends – was truly enjoyed and welcomed by the Jedi Master.

He was going to tell her so, when he heard a muffled crash from further inside the apartment. He couldn't sense any danger within the Force, but when he met Mara's eyes, he saw his suspicion mirrored in them. She was already standing with a hand close to the lightsaber at her belt. "You can't be too cautious," she said.

He nodded, his hand close to his own lightsaber, and the two quickly made their way down the hall, clearing each room as they passed.

* * *

A/N: So… yeah. I'm going to finish this story, so expect what will probably be the last chapter next week. Also, I know that Mara and Luke may not have been overly friendly during this time-period, but that's one thing that I've always disliked about the profics – that it took so long for Luke to settle down! Give the guy a break, already! And yeah, maybe Mara would have been busy being smuggler or elsewhere during this time-period, but I think it still works decently enough, even if I took a few liberties with it. Thanks for reading!


	6. Searching

Disclaimer: Still don't own Star Wars. Why is that?

A/N: So good news, everyone! …I guess lied. There _will_ be a couple more chapters to the story. But I didn't disappear again! My thanks to those who read and review! I appreciate it!

**Chapter VI: Searching**

When Luke and Mara entered the children's room, they found Threepio tied up in one of the sheets. Luke stifled a laugh. His impression of the Force was clear, and the children were not in any danger but were hidden somewhere nearby. The fabric was wrapped around the droid in such a way that suggested the children had tripped him in order to reach the circuit breaker high on his back.

The kids must not have liked the Ewok story. Although it was equally as likely that the singing could have sent them over the edge.

"I guess they gave him the slip," Mara said.

"Literally," Luke admitted, gesturing to the sheet and the fallen droid.

"Skywalker, one of these days, your sense of humor will get you into trouble," Mara said, her smile softening the threat.

The pair worked to untangle the droid from the sheet. When they had finished, Luke reached to flip the circuit breaker but stopped his hand just shy of it. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "I really ought to wait until we find the children."

"That would be the right thing to do." Mara nodded, her expression serious. "I'm sure the droid would be too disoriented to be any help to us."

"He'd be inconsolable."

"Panicked."

"Exactly the kind of condition that won't help us find the children," Luke said agreeably.

Threepio was left behind in children's room with Luke's silent promise that he would restore the droid's normal function.

Right before Han and Leia got home.

* * *

Although a visual search hadn't revealed any threat, it also hadn't revealed the children. They were being quiet, which probably wasn't a good thing. But, on the other – more positive – hand, they weren't in danger, which was a better thing.

But the stillness of the apartment arose his suspicions. The last time the children had tried this, they had made enough noise to be found. Their attempts at stealth had been just as simple to track audibly as their excitement had been easy to follow within the ebb and flow of the Force. This time, the apartment was silent and still. And then he realized it wasn't just still – the apartment was empty.

Luke resisted the unnecessary – though instinctual – urge to panic. He had already developed a successful counter-measure to this tactic. He opened himself to the Force, to the feelings and impressions that surrounded him.

Surprise coursed through him when he recognized Mara doing the same. He felt her presence stretching forth, searching for the children. When her presence touched him, he felt her withdraw quickly, but she did not disappear within the Force. She simply brushed by him, disregarding his Force-signature as something extraneous, not important to her objective.

He sighed, exhaling all of his frustration with the redhead in a single breath. Allowing the Force to guide him, Luke walked through the apartment again. His eyes were closed but his mind was open to the whispers of the living energy. He felt the children's presences – comforting, steady flames of light burning within the flow of the Force – but where were they?

Both he and Mara stopped in front of the sliding door that led to the balcony. Han and Leia did enjoy the benefits of their status, and those benefits included a well-appointed apartment with a spacious balcony. The balcony was even equipped with a privacy shield, so while the couple could savor a priceless view of Coruscant's cityscape, no one could spot them.

Their eyes met before Luke and Mara both turned to peer beyond the transparent door. Her expression was curious, but he could offer no explanation for the Force – or for the children's apparent retreat to the balcony. He quickly spotted the kids resting in a lounge chair located well inside of the safety railing. He didn't even need to switch on a light – the brilliant and multicolored lights of the city's many entertainments presented more than enough illumination.

"I'll let you handle this," Mara said, tilting her head toward the balcony. "Nothing a Jedi Master can't handle," she said again, though much lighter on the sarcasm.

"Nothing an uncle can't handle, more likely."

"What would be the difference in this instance?"

"I don't know," Luke said with a laugh. "The job descriptions are a bit different. But if both require a man to be perplexed at the quirks of youth, I'm on my way to understanding both roles."

"I think being perplexed by youth is considered a trait of the elderly," Mara observed, her tone dry. After a moment, she asked, "What _do_ you think they're doing?"

"Have you ever heard Threepio tell an Ewok story?"

Mara's expression soured, her mouth twisting and her nose wrinkling at the thought. "No, but I know what you're getting at. I'd need some fresh air to clear my head, too."

Leaving the children to their skywatching, Luke walked Mara to the apartment's entryway. "I hope the children's little joke didn't interfere with your plans here too much," he said.

"No, it didn't." She stopped before opening the door and smiled as she faced him. "It was actually a convenient excuse to catch up."

Luke smiled. "You're right."

The pair lingered in the foyer for a moment. Luke was working up the courage to tell Mara that he had enjoyed their brief visit and was wondering why that step was even necessary. He was going to do just that in the kitchen only a few moments before! But here he was, standing in the entryway with his mind contorting in awkward somersaults like some Tatooinian youth who had no experience beyond his dust-filled existence – he still remembered those days ruefully – and all he wanted was to wish her a decent goodbye!

"I'm not one for prolonged goodbyes, Skywalker," Mara announced, breaking his train of thought. She leaned close, brushing her lips on his cheek. "I'll make it back to the Praxeum as soon as business lets up," she said.

"I hope so," he said, bemused by her sudden display of friendship. "Take care, Mara. May the Force be with you."

"And you," she replied, hitting the control pad to open the door. The door hissed open and she offered another smile before leaving. "And take some advice: you better go see about understanding those kids – as an uncle _and_ a Jedi. You're not an old man yet."

And then she slipped out the door, vanishing almost as quickly as she had appeared.

Luke sighed, and that gesture contained all of his yearning, confusion, and resignation. He had determined that he would probably never fully comprehend the redheaded woman, but he knew he had a good chance to understand his dark-haired niece and nephews. Pushing his conflicting thoughts about Mara aside – to think upon at a later time, he assured himself – the Jedi Master returned to the balcony and its view over Coruscant.


End file.
